Clothes drier



E. R. EBERHARDT CLOTHES DRIER 2 Sheets-Sheet l Filed Oct. 29, 1946 Qwvamm MMM.

Memup `Patented Aug. 23, 1949 UNITED` STATES Parrain* oFFicE CLOTHES DRIER Elsie R. Eberhardt, Wilmington, Del. Application October 29, 1946, Serial No. 706,431 3 Claims. (Cl. 21-102) This invention relates to clothes dryers and particularly to a sun ray clothes dryer in which clothes and the like may be steamed, sterilized, pressed, and dried, and exposed to artificial rays of the sun by sun lamps while drying to give them the same freshness and sweetness as clothes dried on an outside line in the sun.

The purpose of this invention is, therefore, to provide improvements in mechanical clothes dryers which imparts to clothes dried therein the same freshness and sweetness as that of clothes dried in the sun.

The most serious objection to drying clothes inside or by artificial or mechanical means is that the clothes are not bleached by the sun, and with this thought in mind the sun ray clothes dryer of this invention contemplates the use of sun lamps for supplying the sunmays by artificial" means.

Clothes dampened for ironing often become too dry before they are ironed and for this reason the clothes dryer of this invention includes a steam generator and a spray device so that the clothes may be placed in the dryer and the steam turned on for a few seconds to thoroughly dampen the clothes,

It is also desired to stretch some articles such as curtains and trousers while drying and for this purpose the invention includes a curtain stretcher on which articles may be stretched, steamed, and dried, wherein articles such as trousers may be pressed in a comparatively few minutes.

It is also desirable at times to sterilize garments and other articles, particularly to remove moths, insects, and the like, and with this thought in mind the clothes dryer oi' this invention includes steam for sterilizing,\means for subjecting the articles to moth balls/land also means for spraying germicides and disinfectants therein.

The object of the invention is, therefore, to provide a clothes dryer which supplies the sun rays by artificial means, and also includes means for dampening, stretching, pressing, sterilizing, and drying the clothes.

With these and other objects in view the invention embodies a suitable enclosed housing with doors therein, heating elements, a steam generator, a perforated tube for spraying steam, sun ray lamps, a disinfectant distributor, and means for hanging and stretching garments and other articles.

Other features and advantages of the invention will appear from the following description taken in connection with the drawings, wherein:

' racks 28 having hooks Figure 1 is a cross section throughthe clothes dryer showing the relative positions of the elements therein;

-Figure 2 is a sectional plan through the dryer showing the construction and general arrangement of the elements thereof; and Figure 3 is a wiring diagram for the clothes dryer.

Referring now to the drawings wherein like reference characters denote corresponding parts, the sun ray clothes dryer of this invention includes a housing I with doors II and I2 hinged at the points I3 and I4, and provided with handles I5 and I6, as shown in Figure 2.

In the upper part of the housing are sun ray lamps I '1, which may be of any type or design and may be arranged in any manner. The lamps are connected by wires I8 and I9 to a source of electric current, and these may be turned on and off by one of the control buttons on the outside of the housing.

Heating elements 2|, which may also be controlled by one of the buttons 20, are provided in the casing for supplying heat in addition to that of the sun lamps, and the heating elements are associated with a small boiler .22 in which steam is generated and supplied to the perforated pipe or tube 23. The boiler is provided with a hot water supply connection 24 and the heating element 25 thereof may be connected to a source of electric current by wires 21 through one oi' the control buttons 20. A moth ball, germicide, or disinfectant container 28 is associated with the steam pipe 23 to facilitate sterilizing and these containers may be provided at different points as may be desired.

The clothes dryer is provided with extendable 30 thereon and these are held by supporting clips 3| located at convenient points throughout the housing. A frame 32 with extending pins 33 is provided in the dryer and curtains and the like may be stretched over this frame. The frame is preferably of light metal construction with vertical struts 34 and cross members 35, yand the lower ends are held by clip angles 36.

In addition to the sun lamps I1 another sun lamp 39 may be provided and this may also be connected to one of the control buttons 20 by wires 40 and 4I.

An electric time control clock 42 with a warning bell or signal is provided on the outside of the clothes dryer as shown.

It will be understood that changes may be made in the construction of the dryer, or in the arrangement of the elements therein without departing from the spirit of the invention.

The construction will be readily understood from the foregoing description. In use the dryer is provided as shown and described and when used for drying, clothes are hung or suspended therein andthe sun lamps and heating elements turned on. The length of time the lights and heaters remain on is controlled by the clock I2. Should clothes be too dry for ironing they may be placed in the dryer and the steam turned on for a few seconds. The clothes will then be found thoroughly damp and ready for ironing. Curtains may also be stretched on frames or racks in the dryer and these may be steamed and then dried in a comparatively few minutes. The dryer may therefor, be used for various purposes.

What is claimed is:v

1. In a clothes dryer. a housing, sun ray lamps and electric heating elements supported in said housing, garment-supporting means in said housing positioned to support garments in proximity to said lamps and heating elements, electrical conductors connecting said lamps and heating elements with a source of current, manuallyoperated switch means supported on said housing and electrically connected into said conductors to independently control said lamps and heating elements, and time-control-switch means connected into said conductors to simultaneously disconnect said lamps and heating elements from said current source a selected time interval after said lamps and heating elements have been connected with said source by said manuallyoperated-switch means.

2. In a clothes dryer, a housing, an electric heating element supported in said housing, gar

from said boiler to garments on said supporting means.

3. In a clothes dryer, a housing, an electric heating element supported in said housing, garment-supporting means in said housing positioned to support garments in proximity to said heating element, a water boiler carried by said heating element and receiving water-evaporating heat therefrom, conduit means connected with said boiler to supply water thereto, a perforated tube extending from said boiler adjacent said garment-supporting means to apply steam from said boiler t0 garments on said supporting means, and a disinfectant evaporator supported on said perforated tube and receiving heat from steam therein to apply disinfectant to the garments while steam is being applied thereto.

ELSIE R. EBERHARDT.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the ille of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,406,494 Ferris Aug. 27, 1946 

